Examining Relationships and Creativity in Online Fandom

My project takes an intimate look at an online fan community, one centered around the romantic pairing of Luke Snyder and Noah Mayer on the daytime drama As the World Turns. I take an autoethnographic approach as I describe my personal experiences, views, and feelings about the evolution of the fan community from its inception in 2007 through its current dissolution after the program's ending in 2010. Through interviews with several fans, both in person at events and online via e-mail and Skype, I show how individuals from various backgrounds became involved in a diverse community based on their emotional attachment to the storyline, the characters, and the actors who portrayed them. I describe how individuals’ interactions with each other on message boards have evolved into bonds of friendship through encounters in person at fan events and other personal interactions outside of the community (i.e. exchanging e-mails, talking on the phone, etc.). I also take a look at the creative aspects of the fan community, primarily fan fiction and fan-made music videos. I show a correlation between the artists' creative efforts and the encouraging feedback they receive from their fellow fans. I describe how online fandom can serve as a creative outlet for members who take an interest in writing and video editing, and how in some cases it has acted as a vehicle for those individuals' professional endeavors. I will present my findings in a research paper along with an audio documentary that will be released as a podcast.